Teen Advocacy: Trafficking, drug use among their concerns

At the end of the school year, The Reporter received a number of letters from teenagers whose high school class assignment was to investigate and advocate for a program or project. -- Editor

Every day there are teenagers who are dying due to drugs. Teenagers want to have fun and fit in with the crowd, so they do drugs. They don't realize that they are getting addicted and killing themselves.

I have written you today to let you know about the organization, The Partnership at Drugfree.org. They are there to help teenagers and their parents. They help prevent people from doing drugs. They intervene by helping their parents save them and giving them information to help them. They give treatment to those who have been addicted to drugs or even those who have done it once. They are also there in the end to help you and your family recover from the drugs.

They have many programs, which are for people who have done drugs and people who haven't. The programs that are there for people who haven't done drugs are about what drugs are and what they do to you. The programs they have for people who have done drugs are big events that include thousands of people. They do walks for people they have to drug overdose and addiction. They are there to get involved and save many lives, which are lost to drugs.

The main reason why I wrote to you is that I want teenagers to know that drugs can hurt anyone. We all need to be informed to stop from making a big mistake. You don't need to feel bad if you have done it, just try to get the help you need to make sure you don't do it again. This is a great organization that can save many lives.

You're not just saving your life but also the ones all around you. You might also think it's your body and it doesn't matter to anyone else, but you are hurting the loved ones around you. Say no to drugs, and save your life.

Samantha J. Hasz, Vacaville

I am writing on behalf of the NRA. The NRA is currently trying to get a bill passed, S. 2188. I feel that we, the people, need to help to push this bill through Congress and get it passed. The bill wants to make it legal for any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed handgun in any other state.

I feel we need to help this bill to pass. I say this because, first off, the bill will only allow people who have a valid permit to do this. Secondly, the bill will only support it in states where people are allowed to carry concealed weapons.

Some people might feel that this is a mistake because this could cause more crime rates, but let me remind them that only people with a permit may do this. For instance, this bill will have no effect on permitless-carry laws.

I feel the NRA needs some help to pass this bill so that we, the people, can continue having the right to carry a gun.

Mateja Kibler, Vacaville

I would like to talk to you about how teens struggle with substance abuse. They do not have anyone to help them with this struggle in trying to get them out of this dark hole they are in. An organization that I am here to inform you about is the Teen Challenge of Southern California. Here is how to get in touch with the Teen Challenge of Southern California: For the Orange County branch, write P.O. Box 236, Santa Ana, CA 92702 or call (714) 835-8822; for Riverside County's, write 5445 Chicago Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, or call (951) 682-8990.

They have been around since the early 1900s to help those who are turning to using any substances to help them cope in their different ways. I am informing you about this organization because they are here to help teens and adults to not use any type of substances to help them throughout life.

They offer a variety of outreach programs, and they have a one-year residential drug-recovery program for men and women ages 18 and up. The one-year program starts with a student entering an "induction center" for about 3 months, and then transferring over to one of two long-term centers for an additional nine months. The projects that they do to help are grouping students together and talking about why they have turned to using a substance and abusing it to let go of different items going on in their life.

If you have a son or daughter who took this alternative route, what would you do? I ask you to think of this and put yourself in this type of situation and think of what you would do. Wouldn't you want people to know and donate in any possible way that they can?

Please take the time and learn that this organization is to help teens to not become substance abusers. They deserve a good life, just like you. It wouldn't be fair to not help them throughout their suffering. Help them choose a different way to cope with life and to stay away from doing any types of substances.

Mateja Kibler, Vacaville

I am writing this letter in attempt to catch your attention and wrap it around a particular organization. Freedom Now is a U.S.-based, nonprofit organization that works to free individual prisoners through political and public advocacy efforts. This organization represents individual prisoners as clients. They sequence legal, political and public relations to free prisoners of illegal detention. Their legal advocacy on behalf of their clients includes representing them before forums and communicating with their families to get the needed information.

Freedom Now would greatly benefit from a rise in awareness about this organization. Their efforts can also be made possible with donations and the help of volunteers. Freedom Now needs our help in securing the freedom of their clients.

I am very happy that I have found such an organization that is really striving to give others the chance they need and deserve. Thank you for all possible help you may provide for this enriching organization.

Nick Tompkins, Vacaville

I write to you today with a request for action. I strongly believe in the power of the individual to make a difference. I also believe that that power can be multiplied greatly as more people become aware and want to take action. My request is simply that an article be written about the issue of sex-trafficking and SoDE's efforts against it.

Allow me to explain. Sex-trafficking has long been a problem in the world, but like many world issues, it hasn't gotten the attention that it desperately needs. Turning a blind eye to global problems may be something we are all guilty of; I think the biggest reason that they are ignored is that people feel that they are incapable of making a difference and are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. This is why organizations and advocacy groups can be helpful in creating change.

The organization that I am asking your support for is SoDE, a nonprofit that partners with many other Non-Governmental Organizations to help rescue and rehabilitate women who were victims of sex-trafficking. Once the women are stable, SoDE empowers them with skills and jobs. Their hand-made products are sold in the United States as a way to directly support the women and the NGOs.

While their current programs are based in Cambodia and Thailand, I actually came across SoDE when volunteering at the Rhythm in Blue Art Gallery right here in Vacaville on Main Street. The owner explained all about SoDE and how this organization changes women's lives in a big way.

SoDE may not be the largest organization that is against sex-trafficking, but I know it has great potential to grow and expand because of its heart and determination.

What SoDE needs to better succeed in the fight against sex-trafficking is more publicity. I feel that its cause is certainly worthy, and I chose to write to you because I believe that you are in a position to help. All information can be found at http://sodeclothing.org.

Austin Breidenthal, Vacaville

I write today to ask The Reporter to show its support for Not For Sale, an organization devoted to ending slavery. Help would be greatly appreciated. Not many seem to realize that slavery is still a major problem or even still exists, so if an article could be written for The Reporter, I think people in Vacaville would be made much more aware.

There are more than 30 million slaves in the world today, which is more than at any other point in history. Most of these are women and children. I think this is something far too serious to be left alone.

Not For Sale has made itself as available to the public as any company could. Here's its contact information: 270 Capistrano Road, Suite 2, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019; e-mail keturah@notforsalecampaign.org or phone (650) 560-9990.

Anthony Anderson, Vacaville

I am here to spread awareness of a very special program in our hometown. Adopt-A-Block is a project that started fairly recently in the city of Vacaville and has been spreading rapidly ever since. The program is run through The Father's House church, a well-known and loving group. Kids and parents alike spend Saturdays helping the church feed the hungry and clean up neighborhoods right here in our own town.

I am writing in hopes that word of this program will spread. The more people involved, the more the program will grow. Adopt-A-Block is already spreading and a branch has opened in Napa. Hopefully, with some support, this program can grow to lengths unimaginable. Anyone can join, it's only a few hours of your Saturday afternoon and we would love to see some new faces around the block. I hope that this program catches someone's attention, and gets this organization into the limelight.

Chris Pelham, Fairfield

There are approximately 2.5 million people forced into labor at any given time as a result of human trafficking. A majority of trafficking victims are between the ages of 18 and 24. It is also estimated that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. I feel strongly against human trafficking because people should never be treated as property or slaves. This horrible thing must be stopped.

I am writing to encourage you to support the Polaris Project. It is an organization that raises awareness for human trafficking. It would appreciate any kind of help. If you could put an article concerning this organization in the Vacaville paper, that would be a great. People need to read about this and be more aware of it.

Another way you could help is to make an advertisement about fundraising for the Polaris Project. Any kind of donations would be greatly appreciated.

The Polaris Project is located at P.O. Box 53315, Washington, D.C. 20009. If you need to contact it for any questions or information, the telephone number is (202) 745-1001 and its fax is (202) 745-1119. If you need to report a tip on a possible human trafficking case, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-3737-888.

Mico Arenas, Vacaville

I am writing to advocate the anti-bullying movement. I am trying to raise awareness about this issue. Bullying has become a huge problem in schools and popular social networking sites. It is destroying the lives of countless teenagers, who are the victims of bullying around the world. There are many anti-bullying organizations, but there is one specific organization that I would like to focus on. It is called, Teens Against Bullying, and it has different things, such as programs and support groups, that it does for troubled teens.

The reason I am writing this letter is to get the word out about this organization. It is here to help kids who have nowhere else to turn. You can reach this organization by going on its website, www.pacer.org/bullying or by e-mailing bullying411@Pacer.org. I am not asking for donations, but they are always welcome.